TheShrine of Mu'in al-Din Chishti, also known as theAjmer Dargah Shareef, is aSufidargah complex incorporating theshrine ofMu'in al-Din Chishti, several tombs, and amosque, located atAjmer, in the state ofRajasthan, India.^[1] The shrine is significant and it is one of the most popular sites of religious visitation for Sunni Muslims in the Indian subcontinent that can attract up to 20,000 pilgrims per day, swelling to hundred of thousands on Chishti'surs.

Shrine of Mu'in al-Din Chishti
The tomb ofMoinuddin Chishti
Religion
Affiliation	Sunni Islam
Sect	Sufism
Festivals	Urs festival, Ajmer (Rajab)
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Sufi mausoleum andmosque
Ownership	Government of Rajasthan
Location
Location	Ajmer,Ajmer district,Rajasthan
Country	India
Location of thedargah complex inRajasthan
Administration	Ajmer Dargah Committee
Geographic coordinates	26°27′22″N74°37′41″E / 26.45613°N 74.62817°E /26.45613; 74.62817
Architecture
Type	Mosque architecture
Style	Indo-Islamic
Completed	1236CE
Specifications
Direction of façade	West
Dome(s)	One
Minaret(s)	One
Shrine(s)	One(Chishti); 8 additional tombs
Website
ajmerdargahsharif.com

Moinuddin Chishti was a 13th-centurySufi saint and philosopher. Born inSanjar (of modern-dayIran), or inSijistan,^[2] he arrived inDelhi during the reign of theSultanIltutmish (d. 1236). Moinuddin moved from Delhi toAjmer shortly thereafter, at which point he became increasingly influenced by the writings of the famousSunniHanbalischolar andmysticʿAbdallāh Anṣārī (d. 1088), whose famous work on the lives of the early Islamic saints, theṬabāqāt al-ṣūfiyya, may have played a role in shaping Moinuddin's worldview. It was during his time in Ajmer that Moinuiddin acquired the reputation of being a charismatic and compassionate spiritual preacher and teacher; and biographical accounts of his life written after his death report that he received the gifts of many "spiritual marvels (karāmāt), such as miraculous travel, clairvoyance, and visions of angels" in these years of his life.

Moinuddin seems to have been unanimously regarded as a great saint after his passing. The tomb (dargāh) of Muʿīn al-Dīn became a deeply venerated site in the century following the preacher's death in March 1236. Honoured by members of all social classes, the tomb was treated with great respect by the era's most important Sunni rulers. The 13th-centurySultan of DelhiIltutmish paid a famous visit to the tomb in 1232 to commemorate the memory of the saint. In a similar way, the laterMughal EmperorAkbar (d. 1605) visited the shrine no less than fourteen times during his reign. He also made a pilgrimage to this tomb in 1566, with his Hindu consort,Mariam-uz-Zamani barefoot in the hopes of having sons born to them.^[3][4] He also reconstructed the tomb'ssanctum sanctorum in 1579. Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Jahanara later renovated the structure.^[5] Kumar Rao Scindia added residences as he believed the khwaja had blessed him with a son. Structures were also built byMaharani Baiza Bai Scindia in the 18th century andAjit Singh of Jodhpur in 1709. An elegant covering over thedargah was constructed in 1800 by theMaharaja of Baroda.^[6][7]

Local and national rulers came to pray here, thedargah grew in popularity and size over the years.^[8]Razia Sultana,Nasiruddin Mahmud,Muhammad bin Tughluq,Sher Shah Suri, and Akbar,Mariam-uz-Zamani and his descendantsJahangir,Shah Jahan,Aurangzeb,Dara Shikoh andJahanara Begum were known to have visited the shrine.^[9]

In the present day, the tomb of Moinuddin Chishti continues to be one of the most popular sites of religious visitation for Sunni Muslims in the Indian subcontinent, with over "hundreds of thousands of people from all over the Indian sub-continent assembling there on the occasion of [the saint's]ʿurs or death anniversary." Additionally, the site also attracts manyHindus, who have also venerated the Islamic saint since the medieval period.

In 2019, theHindustan Zinc Limited decided to renovate the complex under theSwachh Bharat Abhiyan, including many plans specifically targeted at sanitation and hygiene.^[5][10]

The white marble dome of Chishti's shrine, as seen today, was built in 1532. This date is inscribed in golden letters on the Northern wall of the dargah. It is an example ofIndo-Islamic architecture and the dome features a lotus and a crown of gold, donated by Rampur's Nawab Haider Ali Khan.^[9] It is located in the Ihaata Noorani (transl. Quarter of Light) of the complex.[9] Materials used to build it include marble, brick and sandstone. The dargah has a royal darbar, Mehfil Khana, that was constructed in 1888. It is a square structure and has a patterned ceiling.^[5] Jahanara Begum donated the dargah's left facet (Begumi Dalaan),^[11] the railing around the dargah and also constructed a small platform, the Begumi Chabutra. The sanctum of the dargah has two doors. The canopy made ofmother-of-pearl and silver was commissioned by Jahangir and is visible from thecenotaph's four silver posts.^[9] The ceiling is etched with gold and in 1888, the walls weregilded.^[11]

The complex has multiple structures and has eight entrance gates. However, only three of these are in use.^[12] The Nizam Gate, a yellow structure with floral designs,^[9] is the main gate and was donated by the 7thNizam of HyderabadMir Osman Ali Khan in 1911. An older gate, the Shahjahani Gate, was donated by the Mughal emperorShah Jahan.^[13] It marked the expansion of the shrine complex beyond the Buland Darwaza,^[a][5] built by SultanMahmud Khalji.^[b][13] Other gates include the Madar Gate and the Delhi Gate.^[14] The Jannati Darwaza is a door made of silver that is used only on rare occasions.^[11] It is also referred to as the Bihisti Darwaza.^[15]

The complex has eight tombs besides that of Chishti, belonging to members of his family.^[12] Some of these include Chishti's daughter Bibi Hafiza Jamal and Nizam Sikka, who was a water-carrier who saved Humayun's life.^[11] A huge chandelier, Sahn Chirag, was commissioned by Akbar. TheAhaat-e-Noor is a large courtyard where religious functions are held andqawwalis are sung.^[13] Near the Nizam Gate is theNaqqar Khana (transl. drum house) where music was once played from to greet visitors. A large silver chandelier was donated by theGolden Temple. The Akbari Mosque is made of red sandstone and was probably commissioned by Akbar. A more elegant mosque was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1637^[9] and is called the Jami Masjid. It is made of white marble. The Sandali Masjid was constructed by Aurangzeb. The complex also has aLangar Khana and a Mahfil Khana (assembly hall forqawwals, opened only during the urs).^[11] The Jhalara is a natural tank of water that is used by pilgrims. Other tanks were donated by Shah Jahan^[14] andQueen Mary of Teck in 1911.^[16]

The Jami Masjid, orFriday mosque, is located to the west of the dargah, while the large marble courtyard is located on its eastern side. The Arhat-i-Noor is an enclosure restricted to women that is located on the southern side and houses the tombs of Chishti's daughter and granddaughter. More than 40 graves lie behind the Jami Masjid.^[6]

In 1568, Akbar donated a deeg (cauldron) to the dargah since he made a wish to donate it after winning thebattle of Chittorgarh. The deeg was made of an alloy of seven metals, one of which was brought fromColombo,Sri Lanka. The diameter of the deeg is 6.1 metres (20 ft). The rim of the deeg was made in such a way that it never gets hot even while the bottom of the deeg is ignited and the food is being cooked. The deeg was brought on elephants as three separate parts and the three parts were reassembled there. This deeg is the biggest deeg in the world. Akbar prepared the first dish in this deeg, tasted it and shared it with other fakirs near the dargah. The smaller deeg was donated byJahangir as a part of family tradition.^[17]

The dargah has been a site for pilgrims venerated by followers ofHinduism and Islam since medieval times. Pilgrims come here from around the world^[12] and offerchaddars (sacred sheets) to the shrine.^[18] Pilgrims also offer rose petals, which total up to seven tonnes per day.^[5] Women are allowed to enter the dargah.^[9] It has been estimated that around 20,000 pilgrims visit the site every day. After pilgrims exit the shrine, photographers from photo studios offer professional photos of the pilgrims at rates from₹20. Most of these photographers are Hindus who migrated to Ajmer during thePartition of India.^[19]

For thelangar of the shrine, Akbar and Jahangir donateddegh (transl. cauldron) in 1568 and 1614, respectively. These twodegh are in use even today,[9] as thedargah is known for itsdegh ka khana (transl. food from a cauldron). This is made of rice, ghee, cashew nuts, almonds and raisins. People undergo the Islamic ritual purification ofwudu, in which pilgrims wash their face, hands and feet prior to offeringnamaz. The street approaching the dargah is well-known for its food, craft items andgota work.^[5]

The daily rituals at thedargah are mainly the five mandatory prayers of Muslims, thenamaz. At sunset, there is the ceremony of theDua-e-Roshni (transl. Prayer of Lights), in which large yellow candles are carried to the darbar by the khadims. Following the prayers at night,qawwalis are sung, after which all visitors are asked to leave. Three khadims then clean the durbar with brooms made of peacock feathers. After the last person is out of the shrine, the qawwals recite the Karka, which is a musical verse inSanskrit, Brij andPersian. The dargah is then locked and reopened only for the next day's pre-dawn prayer.^[20]

Some attribute the influence of Islam on Indian culture to have begun from the dargah, including inTansen's music; the tolerance practiced bySalim Chishti,Abul Fazl andAbul Faizi; and inIndo-Saracenic architecture. It has been the tradition to source the incense, sandalwood paste andittar used in thedargah from a Brahmin family, right from the times of Chishti. One shrine in thedargah complex is revered bySikhs.^[21]

The death anniversary of Moinuddin Chishti, theurs, is not mourned and is celebrated^{[clarification needed]} since it is the very day the disciple is reunited with his maker (Allah).^[16] The celebrations begin with the end of the Islamic month ofJumada al-Thani and conclude on the sixth day of the month ofRajab, a total of six days.^[15] Members ofBhilwara's Gori family march through the city towards the Nizam gate and hoist the flag on the Buland Darwaza, marking the beginning of the festival. Following this, the urs rituals begin with the sighting of the moon. This is followed by the Aser ki Namaz.^[22] Every night amehfil-i-sama takes place at the Mahfil Khana of the complex, in which women are allowed to participate (which is not common in a dargah).^[23] The urs end with the Qul, the final prayer.^[20] During this period, pilgrims attempt to enter the dargah as many times as possible and make their prayers. The Bihisti Darwaza(made ofsilver) is washed with rose water by pilgrims in the afternoon. It is believed that roses offered to the dargah during the festival are sourced fromPushkar.^[21]

About five lakh people, the approximate population of the city of Ajmer, come to attend the urs. About 2700 buses of pilgrims enter the city.^[24] TheIndian Railways launches a special train service, the Garib Nawaz trains, to facilitate transport for pilgrims around the country.^[14] Vishram Sthali in the Kayad locality of Ajmer serves as a place for lakhs of pilgrims to stay during this time,^[25] although every kind of accommodation is occupied with the sheer number of pilgrims.^[20] In March 2020, it was announced that a large guest house, Rubath, would be constructed in Ajmer for the same.^[26]

• VariousPublic figure sent 'chadar' during the Urs.
• A red and green ‘chadar’ offered by the United States Embassy on behalf of US PresidentBarack Obama and the people of the country was presented at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah on the occasion of the 803rd Urs with a message of ‘deepest friendship’ and ‘peace’.
• Delhi Chief MinisterArvind Kejriwal sent a 'chadar' offered at the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer on the occasion of the Sufi saint's 809th Urs on Wednesday and prayed for the end of COVID-19.
• Congress leaderRahul Gandhi met a delegation of the Congress Minority Department in the presence of its National Chairman Imran Pratapgarhi and others and sent a chadar for the 810th Urs of Ajmer Sharif Dargah.
• Chadar by Afghan PresidentAshraf Ghani for Ajmer Sharif arrived from Kabul and was offered at the Dargah in 2021.^[27]
• In 2015, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi handed over a 'chadar' offered at the Ajmer Sharif dargah, in a meeting with Muslim clerics on 808th Urs of Moinuddin Chisty.^[28][29]

On 11 October 2007, an explosion occurred in Dargah Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's courtyard in Ajmer in Rajasthan. It was the holy fasting period of Ramazan and evening prayers had just ended. A crowd had gathered at the courtyard to break their fast. A bomb was placed inside a tiffin carrier went off. Reports said the blast claimed 7 lives and injured 17.^[30][31]

Special Judge Dinesh Gupta's nearly 500-page judgment was based on testimonies of 149 witnesses and 451 document submitted to his court.^[30][31]

On 22 March 2017, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, sentenced two murderers namedBhavesh Patel andDavendra Gupta to life imprisonment, who were convicted along withSunil Joshi, all of them ex-pracharaks ofRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Those convicted were held guilty under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Explosives Act and various sections ofIndian Penal Code.^[30][31][32]

On 27 November 2024, the Ajmer Civil Court issued notices to theArchaeological Survey of India (ASI) and other authorities in response to a petition, filed byHindu Sena, that claimed the site to have been built over aShiva temple and prayed for a survey by ASI. The petition was based on the bookAjmer: Historical and Descriptive, byHar Bilas Sarda which narrates the tradition says that inside the cellar , priest prayer ( Puja) of Mahadeva in a temple. The Dargah Committee has rejected the claims, calling them divisive and harmful to communal harmony.^[33][34][35]

The 1973 Indian filmMere Gharib Nawaz, directed by G. Ishwar, centres around a family who overcomes adversities through their piety at the shrine of Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer.^[36] Other Indian films revolving around the dargah and the saint includeSultan E Hind (1973) by K. Sharif,Mere Data Garib Nawaz (1994) by M Gulzar Sultani.^[37][38]

The Ajmer Sharif Dargah is 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the main central Ajmer Railway station and 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the Central Jail and is situated at the foot of theTaragarh hill.

•  
  Dargah Sharif, Ajmer, 1893
•  
  Buland Darwaza, erected by SultanMahmood Khilji
•  
  Mausoleum of Moinuddin Chishti
•  
  Qawali at the front of Dargah
•  
  Inside the mausoleum
•  
  Dargah Emblem

• Islam in India
• List of mosques in India
• Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah
• Shah Jalal Dargah
• Shrine of Baba Farid
• Turabul Haq Dargah

• Currie, P. M. (1989).The Shrine and Cult of Mu'in Al-Din Chishti of Ajmer. Oxford University Press.ISBN 978-0-19-563144-9.

• "Dargah Committee, Dargah Khwaja Saheb, Ajmer".gharibnawaz.in.Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India. Archived fromthe original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved25 August 2019.
• "Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Shrine of Moinuddin Chishti, Ajmer".Rajasthan Department of Tourism.